Surrounded By Chaos, Jackson Pleads Not Guilty

The Pop Star Was Late For His Hearing, Drawing A Rebuke From The Judge.

January 17, 2004|By Steve Chawkins and William Overend, Los Angeles Times

SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- It was a pep rally and a dance party, an event broadcast live around the world and a personal pilgrimage for true believers in the King of Pop.

As Michael Jackson pleaded not guilty to charges of child molestation Friday, the scene outside the courthouse overshadowed the legal proceeding inside.

Thousands of fans crammed the sidewalks and parking areas outside the Santa Barbara County courthouse here. Some had hopped continents to show their support, flying in from as far as Poland and Japan. Others stayed up all night to board the "Caravan of Love," a convoy of buses that rolled through pre-dawn Los Angeles picking up the faithful.

Inside, Michael Jackson, in a barely audible voice, pleaded not guilty, after the judge sternly scolded him for arriving late for the arraignment.

"Mr. Jackson, you have started out on the wrong foot with me. I will not tolerate that," Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville said. "From now on, I want you to be on time. It is an insult to the court. Consider this a polite warning."

The arraignment, which began more than 20 minutes late, was Jackson's first appearance in court since his Nov. 20 arrest, and the first time that all sides in the case have gathered in the same room. Melville sought to impose order by delivering sharp rebukes to prosecution and defense attorneys and by upholding strict limitations on how an international news corps will be allowed to cover the case. Among those restrictions was an order that banned television and newspaper cameras from the courtroom Friday.

Jackson strode into the 120-seat courtroom in a dark suit and sunglasses and paused to greet his parents in the second row as a contingent of supporters applauded. His brothers Jermaine, Randy and Tito and his sister, Janet, also attended the hearing, which lasted almost two hours. After entering his plea, Jackson spent much of the hearing gazing at the ceiling as Melville, defense lawyer Mark Geragos and Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon argued several First Amendment issues.

Jackson, 45, was arrested Nov. 20 on seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious behavior with a minor and two felony counts of using an intoxicant to seduce a minor. He faces a potential prison sentence of just more than 20 years if convicted on all counts. Melville, 62, a soft-spoken judge with a reputation for insisting on courtroom decorum, first asked Jackson if he understood the charges, then asked for his plea.

In a hushed voice, Jackson answered: "Not guilty."

The judge then moved to issues involving media coverage. First, he ruled that search and arrest warrants sealed since Nov. 17 would remain unavailable to the media. Lawyers representing the media asked that they be given redacted versions, but the judge said too much editing would be required.

The next issue was whether lawyers would be permitted to talk to the media about the case. Prosecutor Sneddon had pushed for a gag order.

Attorney Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., who represented the media, called the request "prior restraint" and said it would hinder full and accurate coverage.

Defense lawyer Geragos said he opposed any order that did not include a "safe-harbor" provision, which would allow the defense to respond to "every crazy rumor that comes along." Given his client's fame, Geragos said, rumor control was critical.

"I've had rumors he got married two weeks ago, was going to Brazil and that the Nation of Islam has moved into my office," Geragos said. "None of this is true. If I can't respond, it becomes part of an urban legend."

Outside, the spectacle continued long after the hearing ended. Wading through a crush of fans with his dark-suited bodyguards from the Nation of Islam, Jackson acknowledged the adoring crowd by climbing atop his SUV and waving as he moved to the rhythms of his recorded music. He also had his supporters distribute printed invitations to an afternoon picnic at his Neverland ranch 20 miles to the south.

"In the spirit of love and togetherness Michael Jackson would like to invite his fans and supporters to his Neverland ranch," it read in wedding-style script. "Refreshments will be served. We'll see you there!"

Hundreds of fans accepted the invitation. After signing confidentiality agreements, they strolled into the compound and hopped aboard Jackson's amusement-park rides.

Earlier, outside the courthouse, vendors hawked hot dogs, peanut brittle and "Free Michael!" T-shirts. While the hearing proceeded behind tight security inside, fans outside unfurled banners, held hands in prayer, and break-danced in the parking lot. Deputies patrolled with bomb-sniffing dogs. Impersonators of Jackson and Charlie Chaplin, one of the singer's heroes, sauntered through. Some of Jackson's backup singers launched into a modified version of the civil-rights anthem: "Michael shall overcome!"

A 41-year-old English teacher from Japan, Tomoko Satomura dug into her savings for a quick cross-hemispheric trip to Jackson's arraignment.

"I love Michael," said Satomura, who paid her respects at Neverland's gates each day during a two-week stay in nearby Solvang last year. "This is important! I couldn't just sit at home in Japan. I had to be here."